Analysis of Labour Negotiations of PANYNJ Airport Contract (2018)

Analysis of Labour Negotiations of PANYNJ Airport Contract (2018) N
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Table of Contents Overview.. 3 History. 4 Analysis. 4 Developing an Inner BATNA.. 5 Give and Receive. 6 Put Yourself in Your Shoes. 7 Respect 9 Stay in Your Zone. 10 Conclusion. 11 References. 12 Overview
The PANYNJ was able to strike an agreement with the airport workers on the fall of 2018. This came after a series of events, a long tussle between the PANYNJ with the workers. The contract that had been signed earlier in 2014 did not capture workers who were in the catering department. Furthermore, the minimum wage rate was being paid to workers in New York and New Jersey. The text, therefore, analyzes how the contract of 2018 adopted the techniques and skills written by William Ury. After analysis, the methods adopted in the agreement include; developing an inner BATNA, giving and receiving, putting yourself in your shoes, and respecting. Because the negotiations took longer than anticipated, the explanation might be due to the parties needing to stay in their zone. This might have been brought about by politics which also plays a role. Whenever the political players start engaging in the welfare of the workers, some delays might end up occurring. In the long run, all the parties were able to find a favorable solution for both of them. The minimum was to be increased in steps up to September 2023, meaning they had time slowly adjust to the new financial demands of the workers.
History
The port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) consists of a system of interconnected waterways stretching over a shoreline of approximately 770 miles touching New York City and the northeastern part of new jersey. Due to its natural harbor, the port handles large volumes of cargo making it one of the busiest ports in the USA. The port is managed by different entities from the government, ranging from local government to the federal government and public and private entities. The port authority of New York and New Jersey was formed in 1921 to manage maritime facilities and vehicular crossings and oversee a rapid transit system that links New York to new jersey. In addition, the authority oversees regional airports and real estate projects. The PANYNJ controls the most extensive system of airports in the USA, which is a global leader in the number of lights and second in the world in terms of passenger traffic.
The PANYNJ manages several airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, New York Stewart Airport, and Teterboro Airport. For many months, airport workers for the PANYNJ have demanded better health benefits, training, and improved wages. In 2016, the workers held demonstrations to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour. On the other hand, the union representing the workers is bargaining with the lawmakers for a better rate of $18 an hour for over 40,000 employees operating in the main airports, train stations, and commuter buses. Even though the unarmed guards in the airports receive a better pay of $17.98 per hour, that needs to translate to all the workers in the airport (Mcgeehan, 2017).
Analysis
According to William Ury, there are six steps to conducting complex negotiations: putting yourself in the shoes, developing an inner BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement), reframing the picture, staying in your zone, respecting and giving and receiving (Couwenberg, 2016). On September 26th, 2018, the board of PANYNJ reached a consensus by voting to approve an increased minimum wage of $19 for employees working at John. Kennedy airport, LaGuardia airport, and Newark liberty international Airport. Before, the PANYNJ used to pay an hourly wage of $10.45, but the workers at JFK and LaGuardia used to get $13 per hour due to the legislation of New York. The board’s decision will see the wages rise in bits until September 2023, when it will be adopted fully. The employees that will be affected include security officers, wheelchair agents, baggage handlers, and terminal cleaners (Johnson, 2018).
Developing an Inner BATNA
One of William Ury’s negotiation techniques is developing an inner BATNA. This does not mean you set a bottom line when starting negotiations by giving too much or receiving too little. A bottom line is often used in negotiations where the worst possible deal could be accepted, and beyond that point, no further dialogue can proceed. It usually serves as a defense mechanism for getting the worst possible scenario in a negotiation situation (Venter, n.d). While developing a BATNA, the negotiator has to picture; the best alternative solution reserved, the most suitable alternatives and a list of options to be picked from when the primary choice is not attained. BATNA serves as an insurance policy for the negotiator just in case things do not proceed as planned.
Initially, the voting to increase the hourly wage rates was scheduled to happen during the summer of 2018 as per the needs of the workers. However, the board of PANYNJ decided to push the voting to fall, which yielded fruits (Johnson, 2018). As per the look of things, the deal must have been concluded based on a BATNA. This was whereby the employees were suffering so much, and their needs could not wait any longer. On the other hand, the board seemed to be reached and could not guarantee to pay the disputed hourly rate of $19 all at once. This only meant that the board had to bow down to employee demands and agree to a deal on an incremental basis. Based on the previous demonstrations carried out by the workers, the authority refused to risk having demoralized workforce that could hinder their operations. By 2023, it looked far, but at least it encouraged the workers that the PANYNJ cared for their needs.
Give and Receive
William Ury advocates for the negotiators to stop focusing only on their needs but instead offer a way forward. The give-receive tactic relies on the power of reciprocity which articulates that the person receiving is always motivated to provide something in return. The benefits of giving an extension to the receiver are giving back and offering a good feeling of knowing that you have done better for someone. The art of giving should always create a sense and pleasure of meaning in it. However, people should be mindful of others who like to receive but do not offer s in return (Couwenberg, 2016). Giving, particularly in a negotiation, makes the other party feel appreciated. In the standard setup of humans, no one likes to feel unappreciated. Negotiators try to express their appreciation by understanding the perspective from which the other party is coming. Converting this into actions is essential thing in any negotiation.
In the case of PANYNJ airport workers, some sections of the workforce were already enjoying reasonable hourly rates while others’ wage was too low. Different legal frameworks in different states also caused the disparity. For example, the workers in New York working for the same authority were taking home an excess of 3 dollars per hour due to the minimum wage law in New York. From the outcomes of the negotiations, it seems that the unions offered the board of PANYNJ an extended timeline to effect the hourly pay rate of $19 fully. This triggered the board to accommodate over forty thousand employees whose salaries would rise significantly. However, the technique does not always yield fruits and might be a disadvantage. For instance, the deal's implementation time was very long, so many things could happen in between. Also, the needs of workers do not cease to exist now that the agreement is to be fully implemented in 2023. The authority might also end up losing experienced workers that have stayed in the airports long enough to explore other opportunities in the search for greener pastures.
Put Yourself in Your Shoes
According to William Ury, putting yourself in other people’s shoes is the essential technique that negotiators and mediators should have. The method might sound easy on paper, but it is one of the most challenging things to do for an average individual in real-life scenarios. Huddles of implementing t...